One is the schwa this is the most common and [the] most lazy sound in English
how do you make this sound to make this sound properly just breathe out of your mouth and
Then just make a sound
Okay, but when can we use the schwa one of the reasons we use a schwa is in unstressed syllables
Example cousin the first syllable is the stressed syllable
Cup the second syllable that's unstressed, so it has a weak form and that will take the schwa
cars in
Cousin say with me cousin other words for example
Freedom again the first syllable is stressed free the second syllable is not
It's unstressed so try not free Dom no freedom
freedom
Say it with me
freedom or this word effort the stress is in the first syllable at
So we pronounce that sound correctly air
the next syllable not stressed so schwa effort effort
Well this word has three syllables the middle syllable is stressed
May
so the first syllable has a schwa sound not amazing [no], it's
amazing
Amazing [and] where am I now I'm not in London
No, the first syllable is stressed the second syllable is weak and has that schwa sound
London another reason we use the schwa is when word has the
sound for example in American English the
Sound has a very strong R
But in British English it doesn't for example. My job is a teacher. I say teacher
Americans would say teacher if I get sick I
Go to the hospital, and I see a doctor. No. I see a doctor
Doctor say it with me doctor. If I need legal help. I will not see a lawyer
I will see a lawyer
lawyer
with me lawyer someone who works in a university could be a
professor no professor
Professor so repeat those four words with me remember to include that schwa sound teacher
doctor
lawyer
professor
[to] British English is non-rhotic. What the hell is non-rhotic?
Non-Rhotic means that we don't pronounce that are in the same way that [for] example
American English pronounces it we pronounce it in that lazy smooth way
Instead of saying here. No we say here
warm
Butterfly um yeah, actually not every British accent is non-rhotic some are actually rohtak
Okay, yes fine
Some are for example. West country or the pirate accent. We all know how pirates sound they don't say ah
No, they say are
That one is Rohtak for example
We might say bird in the west country they might say it like this bird is there an exception to this?
yes, and that is when we use our linking or intrusion for example in a sentence like
No better actor is better at acting than Ben affleck
If you pronounce every word separately then yes, you don't use our linking or intrusion
But that sounds like a robot, and you're not a robot you [might] be I don't know if you're a robot
That's cool, but if you want to sound like a natural sounding British human
Then you might want to use our linking so this sentence would sound like this
No better [rack] [tour] is better at acting than Ben affleck try and say it with me
No better rack to R is better with acting than Ben affleck
Three when you have a regular [verb] ending in the past it will always have an iDI ending
But there are three ways [that] we can pronounce the iDI ending one is like a [tea]
One is like [adi], [duh], and one is like edie
But how do you know which one has which ending well this all has to do with voiced and unvoiced or voiceless?
Sounds what from voiced and unvoiced sound it's super easy let's compare the sounds of this and this put your hand to your throat
make this sound
now add a vibration
Now you're making this sound hMM
So this because there's no vibration it's called unvoiced or voiceless
With this one there is a vibration, so it's called a voiced sound
Okay, voiced and voiceless
[why] should I care?
Well it really helps to know what a voiced and unvoiced sound is if you want to know how that [edy] ending should sound
for [example] take these words
Kiss walk work brush
all of those words finish with an unvoiced sound
So when you put them in the past they have the idi endings, so how does that idi ending sound it sounds like [it] kissed
walked
worked
brushed
It makes more sense if you say it in a sentence he walked away, but it sounds really natural if you link that end
sound into the next word walked away notice that the
Links into that next word walked away. He walked away. It sounds natural right now
Let's look at these words use play smell. They all finish in a voiced sound
So [voiced] sounds make that [idi] sound like a dirt used played
Smelled in a sentence, we played a game
Fine, but sounds a bit robotic
So let's make [it] sound natural and make that dirt sound link into that next word we play the game
We play the game
We played a game
When do we say that [idi] like an egg? It's not walk head. It's not working. It's not wanted
boom wanted ended needed
Visited they either end in a tea or a d. So the [idi] sounds like an ed let's use it in a sentence [not]
[I'm] okay. [I'm] okay. [I] just I
Needed a moment
Before is that glottal tea?
What is a glottal tea in the words uh-oh the up sound makes you a [flood] clothes and makes an up?
Sound now in some words
You can replace the sound with that up sound not in every t sound no
Some t sounds for example at the end of words, but it fat
Not those words cool glottal t to finish fine
It sounds great
But if there is a vowel sound [t] vowel sound for example [in] words like better
Water no it sounds. I'm just going to say it sounds stupid. Don't do that. What are better?
Yeah, it sounds a little bit stupid
Just don't do it also in words that have confident sound t vowel sound for example mountain
Mountain just no don't do that
But lastly if there is a vowel t sound consonant sound for example [in] words like
Batman then it's fine. You can use that glottal t that man
but again, if you want [to] know more [about] the glottal t when to use it when to not
Click here. There is a whole lesson on it
Five is the in sound sometimes to sound a bit more natural you might want to contract the in to an in
Sound and lose that last g [reading] [writing] running go in
All these words are examples of when you can contract in to in
Well notice [that] those are all words with more than one syllable and the last syllable
Is an in sound so for example singing has two syllables and in fact two in sounds singing?
the second thing you can contract to an
Singing I've got a meeting today
Fine, but it could it sound more natural if you add the glottal t and contract that in to an init
I've got a meeting today
When can't you contract it then if there's only one syllable?
Sing sent. No King [one] syllable don't contract it to Kim
Sing sin no don't contract those only if it's more than one syllable and the final syllable
Isn't in sound then it's fine. I'm the ken of inland sea. It doesn't work
Yes, England has more than two syllables
But it's the first syllable that has the end not the final one number six be careful of silent letters
For example the most commonly mispronounced words is this one. How would you say?
No, the pain. We don't pronounce it not received. No we pronounce it receipt receipt
Not sward sword the w is silent okay next one
Not the b. Is silent. We say it like Subtle subtle subtle. What's the day after Tuesday?
Wednesday, Wednesday, we don't say Wed Thursday, no
Wednesday if you are from a [different] country you are what?
Nope the g is [silent] it's foreign
foreign
Again, we have a perfect [example] of the first syllable being stressed so the second syllable is weak has the schwa sound
foreign [Rin] foreign say with me foreign
seven practice practice practice that sound that and that whom sounds are so
Important try to be aware of the sound in words and don't pronounce
It like it or a death or or [written]
Before we begin I've got joke for you. What did the German Philosopher say on the titanic?
I'm
thinking
So I know I'm just great now for most
Non-native English speakers this sound is super difficult
[but] you will need to practice it let's practice together the difficult word like this one try it with me
three
three after Wednesday, we have
Thursday same with me Thursday
Thursday a word you will say many times during the date. Well, you should do if you're polite is this one
Thank you
Thank you [say] with me
Thank you, and on special days you want to say
Happy birthday
[it's] not birthday. It's birthday
birthday
Say with me practice
Birthday for a longer explanation of how exactly to make this sound with your mouth click here to see that video eight
Eight you could have amazing pronunciation
And then these words ah [they] let you down they disappoint you, so let's practice them this one is very often
mispronounced not arks it's [ask] ah
ask
smooth them together ask
Ask if you measure how tall something is you measure its height
Not its height
Height the same mistake I see in this word
not wait note wait
Wait this words. Not come for table. No, it's
comfortable
comfortable comfortable
push it together comfortable
vegetable no
vegetable table
veg
vegetable
Vegetable one type of vegetable is this one
It's not electus. No, it's a lettuce with an f sound lettuce
Remember run practice those eight tips and I'll see you in the next class